Rail pulling apparatus

ABSTRACT

In a rail pulling apparatus, a vehicle is equipped for selfpropelled movement along a trackway. The vehicle supports a hydraulic winch, and a cable extends from the winch to a rail clamp adapted to grip a severed rail in the trackway. The vehicle also supports an A-shaped anchoring member which extends from a point on the vehicle aligned with the severed rail into engagement with spaced points on a rail on the opposite side of the trackway.

United States Patent 1 Hambrick 51 MayS, 1973 [54] RAIL PULLING APPARATUS [75] Inventor: Lester N. Hambrick, Irving, Tex.

[73] Assignee: Trakwork Equipment Company, Irving, Tex.

[22] Filed: Aug. 9, 1971 [21] App].- No.: 169,985

[52] U.S.Cl ..104/1 R, 104/15,212/1l, 254/166 [51] Int. Cl. .130) 31/02 [58] Field of Search ..104/1,2,5,6, 15; 254/166; 105/215, 144; 212/11 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Claybome et al. 1. 104/15 2,671,414 3/1954 Moe ..104/5 Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan Assistant Examiner-Richard A. Bertsch Attorney-Richards, Harris & Hubbard [57] ABSTRACT In a rail pulling apparatus, a vehicle is equipped for self-propelled movement along a trackway. The vehicle supports a hydraulic winch, and a cable extends from the winch to a rail clamp adapted to grip a severed rail in the trackway. The vehicle also supports an A-shaped anchoring member which extends from a point on the vehicle aligned with the severed rail into engagement with spaced points on a rail on the opposite side of the trackway.

17 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEI] HAY 81973 sum 1 BF 2 INVENTOR'.

LESTER N. HAMBRICK RTTORNEYS PATENTEUHAY 81911 3,731,635

SHEET 2 BF 2 l T J FIG. 3 s u l..\l F J i I l l J INVENTOR:

LESTER N. HAMBRICK 20 70 ATTORNEYS RAIL PULLING APPARATUS BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The co-pending application of John F. Bryan, Jr.,

filed July 16, I970, Ser. No. 55,470, relates to a Track Welding System for interconnecting rails in railroad tracks and similar trackways. In the practice of the Bryan invention, existing bolted joints between the rails of a trackway are removed, after which the adjacent ends of the rails are joined by oxacetylene welding. It will be understood that due to the removal of the bolted joints, it is necessary to draw the rails together prior to welding.

The present invention comprises a novel rail pulling apparatus useful in the practice of the Bryan invention. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, a winch is supported on a self-propelled vehicle for movement along a trackway. A cable extends from the winch in alignment with a severed rail in the trackway, and a rail clamp is secured to the distal end of the cable for engagement with the severed rail. An anchoring member is secured to the vehicle at a point aligned with the severed rail and extends across the trackway into engagement with a rail on the opposite side of the trackway from the severed rail. The anchoring member prevents movement of the vehicle during operation of the winch to wind the cable and thereby draw the severed rail toward the vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a rail pulling apparatus incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the rail pulling apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial top view of the rail pulling apparatus in which certain parts have been broken away more clearly to illustrate certain features of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a top view of the rail clamp of the rail pulling apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the Drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a rail pulling apparatus [0 incorporating the present invention. The rail pulling apparatus 10 includes a vehicle 12 adapted for movement along a trackway 14 to a position adjacent a severed rail 16 in the trackway. The vehicle 12 comprises a frame I8 which is supported on four flanged wheels 20. A brake lever 22 is provided for actuating conventional brake assemblies which prevent rotation of the wheels and thereby arrest movement of the vehicle 12 along the trackway 14.

An engine 24 is supported on the frame 18 of the vehicle I2 and is coupled to a hydraulic pump 26 through a flexible coupling 28. Upon operation of the engine 24, the hydraulic pump 26 withdraws hydraulic fluid from a sump 30 and supplies pressurized hydraulic fluid to a valve assembly 32. The valve assembly 32 comprises a pair of manually operated valves which function to control the flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid from the pump 26 to the various operating instrumentalities of the rail pulling apparatus 10.

Referring now to FIG. 3, one of the valves in the valve assembly 32 controls the flow of hydraulic fluid from the pump 26 to a hydraulic motor 34. The motor 34 is coupled to a differential assembly 36 through a flexible coupling 38. The differential 36 is in turn coupled to a pair of flanged wheels 20. Thus, upon operation of the engine 24 and actuation of the appropriate valve in the valve assembly 32, the hydraulic motor 34 functions to propel the vehicle 12 along the trackway 14.

As is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the other valve of the valve assembly 32 controls the flow of hydraulic fluid from the pump 26 to a hydraulic motor 40. The motor 40 is connected to a speed reducer 42 which is in turn connected to a chain and sprocket drive 44 through a flexible coupling 46. Referring particularly to FIG. 1, the chain and sprocket drive 46 connects the output of the speed reducer 42 to a winch 48 mounted on the underside of the frame 18 of the vehicle 12.

A cable 50 extends from the winch 48 to a hook 52. In the preferred use of the rail pulling apparatus 10, the hook 52 is in turn connected to a rail clamp 54. As is best shown in FIG. 4, the rail clamp 54 comprises a body 56 of inverted U-shaped cross-section which receives the head and the web of a rail, and a pair of bell cranks 58 which are pivotally supported on the body 56. Each bell crank 58 comprises a short arm 60 which extends inwardly for engagement with the web of a rail and a long arm 62 which extends outwardly from the body 56. A pair of chains 64 extend from the long arm 62 of the bell crank 58 and are joined by a ring 66. The ring 66 is received by the hook 52 on the end of the cable 50 so that, upon operation of the winch 48, the short arms 60 of the bell cranks 58 are pivoted into gripping interengagement with the web of a rail.

The winch 48 of the rail pulling apparatus 10 is preferably supported on the frame 18 of the vehicle 12 directly over the portion of the trackway 14 including the severed rail 16. By this means, the cable 50 extends from the winch 48 in alignment with the severed rail 16. As will be apparent from FIG. 4, the rail clamp 54 is designed to impart equal forces to the opposite sides of a rail. Thus, the rail pulling apparatus 10 is operable to draw a severed rail toward the connected rails of a trackway without causing lateral movement of the rail.

An anchoring member 68 is supported on a ball joint 70 which is fixed to a portion of the frame I8 that is aligned with the severed rail 16 of the trackway 14. As is best shown in FIG. 3, the anchoring member 68 comprises an A-shaped frame 72 which extends transversely across and somewhat angularly with respect to the trackway 14. A pair of rail receiving members 74 are mounted on the end of the A-shaped frame 72 opposite the ball joint 70 for engagement with a rail of the trackway 14 on the opposite side thereof from a severed rail.

In the use of the rail pulling apparatus 10, the anchoring member 68 functions in the nature of a pipe wrench to prevent movement of the vehicle l2 along the trackway 14 during operation of the winch 48 to pull a severed rail toward the connected rails of the trackway. Since the ball joint 70 is aligned with the severed rail, the anchoring force which is provided by the anchoring member 68 extends in a direction which is exactly opposite to the direction of the force that is imposed by the operation of the winch 48 and no 7 laterally directed force is imposed on any portion of the rail pulling apparatus 10. A lever system 76 is provided for raising the anchoring member 68 out of engagement with the trackway 14 during movement of the vehicle 12 along the trackway.

OPERATION The rail pulling apparatus is preferably employed to reposition rails in a trackway following the use of a rail cropping saw to remove bolted joints from between the rails and prior to the use of a rail welding apparatus to form welded joints between the rails. Initially, the lever system 76 is operated to raise the anchoring member 68 out of engagement with the trackway, and the rail clamp 54 is positioned on the frame 18. Then, the engine 24 is started and the appropriate valve of the valve assembly 32 is actuated to direct pressurized hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor 34. By this means, the motor 34 is actuated to propel the vehicle 12 along the trackway 14 to a position adjacent a disconnected rail of the trackway. Then, the appropriate valve of the valve assembly 32 is actuated to extend the cable 50 from the winch 48 sufficiently to permit engagement of the rail clamp 54 with a severed rail in the trackway. At the same time, the lever system 76 is actuated to lower the rail receiving members 74 of the anchoring member 68 into engagement with a rail on the opposite side of the trackway from the severed rail.

After the clamp 54 is engaged with the severed rail and the anchoring member 68 is engaged with the rail on the opposite side of the trackway from the severed rail, the appropriate valve in the valve assembly 32 is actuated to direct hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor 40. By this means, the winch 48 is operated to wind the cable 50. This action draws the severed rail toward the rail pulling apparatus 10 and is continued until the severed rail is properly positioned relative to the connected rails of the trackway. Because the cable 50 extends parallel to the severed rail, because of the structural features of the rail clamp 54 which impart opposite lateral forces to a severed rail and because of the connection of the anchoring member at a point aligned with the severed rail, the severed rail does not move laterally of the trackway as it is pulled toward the connected rails of the trackway.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that-the present invention comprises a rail pulling apparatus comprising a vehicle for movement along a trackway, a cable extending from the vehicle in alignment with a severed rail in the trackway, a clamp on the end of the cable for gripping interengagement with the severed rail, a winch mounted on the vehicle for winding the cable and thereby drawing the severed rail toward the vehicle, and an anchoring member attached to the vehicle at a point aligned with the severed rail and extending across the vehicle into engagement with the rail on the opposite side of the trackway from the severed rail. The clamp preferably comprises a housing for receiving the head and the web of a rail, and a pair of bell cranks pivotally supported on the housing for gripping the web of the rail upon operation of the winch to draw the rail toward the vehicle. Also, the anchoring member preferably comprises an A-shaped structure which engages the rail on the opposite side of the trackway at two points to prevent movement of the vehicle during operation of the winch.

Although the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment disclosed, but is capable of rearrangement, modification, and substitution of parts and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

ll. In a rail welding system of the type in which bolted joints between rails in a trackway are severed and the rails are thereby shortened, a device for drawing adjacent rails together comprising:

a self-powered vehicle for movement along the trackway; a cable extending from the vehicle in alignment with a severed rail in the trackway;

a rail clamp fixed on the distal end of the cable for gripping interengagement with the severed rail;

a winch mounted on the vehicle for winding the cable and thereby drawing the severed rail toward the vehicle; and

an anchoring member attached to the vehicle on the 7 side corresponding to the severed rail and extending across the vehicle into engagement with a rail on the opposite side of the trackway from the severed rail for anchoring the vehicle against movement due to operation of the winch.

2. The rail drawing device according to claim 1 wherein the rail clamp comprises an inverted U-shaped body for engagement with the severed rail and bell cranks pivotally supported on the body and including first arms connected to the cable and second arms for engagement with the severed rail upon pivotal movement of the bell cranks due to tension of the cable.

3. The rail drawing device according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle anchoring member comprises an A-shaped frame which engages the rail on the opposite side of the trackway at spaced points.

4. The rail drawing device according to claim 1 further including means for lifting the vehicle anchoring member out of engagement with the rail on the opposite side of the trackway and thereby. permitting movement of the vehicle along the trackway.

5. The rail drawing device according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle comprises an engine, a hydraulic pump driven by the engine, a hydraulic motor for propelling the vehicle along the trackway, a hydraulic motor for operating the winch, and valve means for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid from the pump to the motors.

6. A rail pulling apparatus comprising:

I an A-shaped frame engaged with spaced points on a rail on one side of a trackway and extending across the trackway to a point aligned with a severed rail on the opposite side of the trackway;

means for exerting a pulling force on the severed rail;

and v means interconnecting the pulling means and the point on the A-shaped member aligned with the severed rail.

7. The rail pulling apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the interconnecting means comprises a selfpowered vehicle which supports the A-shaped frame and the pulling means for movement along the trackway.

8. The rail pulling apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the self-powered vehicle includes an engine, a hydraulic pump driven by the engine, and a hydraulic motor for propelling the vehicle, wherein the pulling means includes a hydraulic motor and further including valving means for selectively directing pressurized fluid from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motors.

9. The rail pulling apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the pulling means further includes means for gripping the severed rail, a cable connected to the gripping means, and a winch for selective actuation to wind the cable and thereby exert a pulling force on the severed rail.

10. The rail pulling apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the gripping means comprises means for exerting equal gripping forces on the opposite sides of the severed rail in response to operation of thewinch to wind the cable.

l l. A rail pulling apparatus comprising:

means for gripping a severed rail on one side of a trackway;

a cable connected to the gripping means;

means for exerting a pulling force on the severed rail through the cable and the gripping means; a frame for supporting the force exerting means; and an anchoring member connected to a point on the frame aligned with the severed rail and extending therefrom into engagement with spaced points on a rail on the opposite side of the trackway.

12. The rail pulling apparatus according to claim l1 wherein the severed rail gripping means comprises a body having a U-shaped cross-section, a pair of hell cranks each including a first arm connected to the cable and a second arm for engagement with the severed rail, and means supporting the bell cranks on the body so that the rail engaging arms of the bell cranks are pivoted into engagement of the rail upon operation of the force exerting means.

13. The rail pulling apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the force exerting means comprises a winch for selective operation to wind the cable and thereby exert a pulling force on the severed rail.

14. The rail pulling apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the frame comprises a portion of a selfpropelled vehicle which supports the force exerting means and the anchoring member for movement along the trackway.

15. The rail pulling apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the anchoring member comprises a pair of arms extending from the point of connection to the frame across the trackway and rail receiving members fixed to the distal ends of the arms for engagement with the rail on the opposite side of the trackway.

16. A rail clamp comprising:

a body of inverted U-shaped cross-section for receiving the head and the web of a rail; a pair of bell cranks pivotally supported on the opposite sides of the body and each comprising a first arm for engagement with a web of a rail and a second arm which extends outwardly from the body; and means for applying a force to the second arms of the bell cranks and thereby pivoting the first arms into gripping interengagement with the web of a rail. 17. The rail clamp according to claim 16 wherein the bell cranks are equal and opposite in shape and wherein the force applying means applies equal forces to the second arms of the bell cranks, so that the first arms of the bell cranks apply equal force to the opposite sides of the rail. 

1. In a rail welding system of the type in which bolted joints between rails in a trackway are severed and the rails are thereby shortened, a device for drawing adjacent rails together comprising: a self-powered vehicle for movement along the trackway; a cable extending from the vehicle in alignment with a severed rail in the trackway; a rail clamp fixed on the distal end of the cable for gripping interengagement with the severed rail; a wiNch mounted on the vehicle for winding the cable and thereby drawing the severed rail toward the vehicle; and an anchoring member attached to the vehicle on the side corresponding to the severed rail and extending across the vehicle into engagement with a rail on the opposite side of the trackway from the severed rail for anchoring the vehicle against movement due to operation of the winch.
 2. The rail drawing device according to claim 1 wherein the rail clamp comprises an inverted U-shaped body for engagement with the severed rail and bell cranks pivotally supported on the body and including first arms connected to the cable and second arms for engagement with the severed rail upon pivotal movement of the bell cranks due to tension of the cable.
 3. The rail drawing device according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle anchoring member comprises an A-shaped frame which engages the rail on the opposite side of the trackway at spaced points.
 4. The rail drawing device according to claim 1 further including means for lifting the vehicle anchoring member out of engagement with the rail on the opposite side of the trackway and thereby permitting movement of the vehicle along the trackway.
 5. The rail drawing device according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle comprises an engine, a hydraulic pump driven by the engine, a hydraulic motor for propelling the vehicle along the trackway, a hydraulic motor for operating the winch, and valve means for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid from the pump to the motors.
 6. A rail pulling apparatus comprising: an A-shaped frame engaged with spaced points on a rail on one side of a trackway and extending across the trackway to a point aligned with a severed rail on the opposite side of the trackway; means for exerting a pulling force on the severed rail; and means interconnecting the pulling means and the point on the A-shaped member aligned with the severed rail.
 7. The rail pulling apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the interconnecting means comprises a self-powered vehicle which supports the A-shaped frame and the pulling means for movement along the trackway.
 8. The rail pulling apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the self-powered vehicle includes an engine, a hydraulic pump driven by the engine, and a hydraulic motor for propelling the vehicle, wherein the pulling means includes a hydraulic motor and further including valving means for selectively directing pressurized fluid from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motors.
 9. The rail pulling apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the pulling means further includes means for gripping the severed rail, a cable connected to the gripping means, and a winch for selective actuation to wind the cable and thereby exert a pulling force on the severed rail.
 10. The rail pulling apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the gripping means comprises means for exerting equal gripping forces on the opposite sides of the severed rail in response to operation of the winch to wind the cable.
 11. A rail pulling apparatus comprising: means for gripping a severed rail on one side of a trackway; a cable connected to the gripping means; means for exerting a pulling force on the severed rail through the cable and the gripping means; a frame for supporting the force exerting means; and an anchoring member connected to a point on the frame aligned with the severed rail and extending therefrom into engagement with spaced points on a rail on the opposite side of the trackway.
 12. The rail pulling apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the severed rail gripping means comprises a body having a U-shaped cross-section, a pair of bell cranks each including a first arm connected to the cable and a second arm for engagement with the severed rail, and means supporting the bell cranks on the body so that the rail engaging arms of the bell cranks are pivoted into engagement of the rail upon operation of the force exerting means.
 13. The rail pulling apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the force exerting means comprises a winch for selective operation to wind the cable and thereby exert a pulling force on the severed rail.
 14. The rail pulling apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the frame comprises a portion of a self-propelled vehicle which supports the force exerting means and the anchoring member for movement along the trackway.
 15. The rail pulling apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the anchoring member comprises a pair of arms extending from the point of connection to the frame across the trackway and rail receiving members fixed to the distal ends of the arms for engagement with the rail on the opposite side of the trackway.
 16. A rail clamp comprising: a body of inverted U-shaped cross-section for receiving the head and the web of a rail; a pair of bell cranks pivotally supported on the opposite sides of the body and each comprising a first arm for engagement with a web of a rail and a second arm which extends outwardly from the body; and means for applying a force to the second arms of the bell cranks and thereby pivoting the first arms into gripping interengagement with the web of a rail.
 17. The rail clamp according to claim 16 wherein the bell cranks are equal and opposite in shape and wherein the force applying means applies equal forces to the second arms of the bell cranks, so that the first arms of the bell cranks apply equal force to the opposite sides of the rail. 